About 5 years ago, when I was 15 years old, we used to live in a not-so-good neighborhood. Some guy that I went to school with used to live in that same neighborhood, he was about the same age as me. We didn’t talk a lot, just from time to time. One day, I am outside washing my parent’s truck and I see him coming down the street with a gang affiliated shirt. He sees me, so he stops to talk.
About 2 minutes after he arrives at my house, we see an unmarked police car turn the corner. I then tell him to take his shirt off or turn it inside out because the police officer was going to question him about it. He doesn’t listen and says that the officer won’t do anything. The officer drives up to us and calls him over. He talked to him for about 30 seconds, then he calls me over. The officer asks me what was up with my friends shirt. I tell the officer the same thing I told my friend, that I had told him to take it off because he was going to stop him and ask him about it. The officer then asks my age, If I was going to school, what school, then, he asks me for my name and date of birth.
Now what I am wondering and what I am a little bit worried about is, what did the officer do with my information? Did he simply do a search to see if I had a criminal record, or did he input me into the system as a gang member? If someone knows the answer, I appreciate your response, Thank you.
That’s just standard procedure. He just wanted to see if you had any outstanding warrants. He might’ve put a note in the system about you possibly being a gang affiliate, but for as long as it’s been I wouldn’t worry about it now.
He more than likely ran a check on your details to see if you were wanted or something. If in the UK the details get recorded on a form and a copy given to the subject. That’s the law. Did he give you a form? If you were not in a gang and not causing problems then there is no need to worry.
It goes into a data base.
A lot of people don’t realize that the police keep track of every contact, not just convictions. Whether this particular questioning did depends on whether your community has an active gang unit (which it obviously does) and working computers in squad cars.
While you most likely weren’t entered as a gang member, you were likely entered as associating with one. Which isn’t a crime. The most likely result of this will be that cops will take an extra interest in you, especially when you’re in a gang controlled area. This bit of information will change their first judgement of you and whatever situation you are in.
They sell your information to Telemarketing companies , who in turn make up lists and sell them to MORE telemarketers !!
Why do you think you`re getting all those long distance calls wanting to sell you insurance ??
The officer almost certainly ran you in the computer to check your record. He may have entered you into the system as a suspected gang member, but theres no way you can know for sure. Nobody exept for a law enforcement officer can access that information. Employers sometimes run through the local police department to see if anything like that shows up. But in my opinion you should be ok. If anything your moron friend is on a gang watchlist, but you are almost certainly clear.